Warning: This post is long
ok, i'm not sure where to start... um, ok.
I'm 14, and I'm looking for a windsurfboard and rig. i'll be ordering/buying it in about half a year, so that's plenty of time for lots of people to answer this post...
I'm 53 kilos now (idk, about 110 pounds?) so say about 55-60 next summer... and i'm somewhere between intermediate and advanced level, i used to normally ride with a 100-150l board and a 4.5 sail... i can kinda do everything (harness, straps, planing) and this is going to be my first actual board/rig. My budget is about 2000 dollars max. for the board and rig... i want something which is quite new (2008-2011) and i might get a used one if it's in tip-top condition, so give me some tips for buying used online also pls.
i've surfed for 3 years and it's gonna be the fourth after i get the surf and here in bourgas (bulgaria) there's normally medium to high winds (im not sure about mph) so more than enough to plane then...but not that much if you're used to 40-50 mph winds... so say 'Medium'. there aren't a lot of waves apart from where it's still shallow, where there's sometimes 1-1 1/2m waves(i think it's called the surf), tho the water's kinda choppy normally (so it's not even). i want a reasonabally small board but i can't decide which one...
i'm thinking: slalom, freeride, freestyle,maybe wave... so almost every starboard board ^^
so my main choices are Futura for control/ all-round performance, Isonic for slalom/speed, the Kode for accelleration/agression/freestyle and some wave or a carve for, well, freeride. and carving...
so tell me a good board (between 80 and 121 litres) to get...
now for the sail: i don't know a lot about sails or y'know, the whole rig, but suggest a sail between 5 and 5 1/2 sq. m and a mast/boom.... maybe NP or someting, i dunno :)
just make sure the board isn't over $1300 thx ^__^
and feel free to ask anything else :cool:

PG

9th September 2010, 01:14 PM

At your skill level and weight you should not go bigger than 100 liters. But you have to decide what you expect from your eqipment, there is a huge difference between all out slalom and freestyle... If you cannot decide, but need a one-board-solution, then look for a FSW (FreestyleWave) that allows for inboard and outboard footstraps. It is a compromise, but can do most things reasonably well!

Prodan

9th September 2010, 04:29 PM

Thx for the advice... that rules out the carve, and i'm still not sure about the futura. all i know is that chances are i'm getting a kode (86 or 94) or isonic (80-90). if it's less than 100l then the futuras are out apart from the 93, so that's probabally out... any sail suggestions?

Prodan

9th September 2010, 07:07 PM

Oh, and btw what's the difference in speed from the isonic and the kode, because if it's not that big, i'm getting meself a kode :)
oh, and should the sail be a race, freestyle, wave or slalom sail?
i don't want something which is heavy, cos i don't really waterstart lol tho im still probabally gonna do that cos lifting sails sucks when there's reasonable wind...
oh, and there's a windsurfing club here which races (and uses isonics), so maybe if i get an isonic i could race and join... i dunno, just trying 2 give more info just in case it helps :confused:

Farlo

9th September 2010, 10:05 PM

If you're interested in racing don't go for the Kode but rather a Futura 93 or Fanatic Ray 95. At your weight you'll have plenty of volume to uphaul. No-cam freerace sail (NS X-type, Naish Sprint...) to start, and you'll keep that combo for medium/high wind when you're 75 Kg. Or you may invest in an iSonic + race sail once you've got more experience.

Unregistered

10th September 2010, 12:10 AM

Hmmm. What you are asking for is a bit difficult to get, but if there is 1 board that gets somewhat close to this is the Hawk 2010 from Fanatic. I have been testing several boards myself and currently own a XXL slalom (Isonic) and a Fanatic hawk. The Hawk is great. It rides fast, likes to jump and handles chop quite well.

PG

10th September 2010, 03:40 AM

You can well start slalom racing with a FSW like the Kode. More important than absolute top speed is staying dry in the jibes and being able to push through chop.
With regards to sails just look for a camless freeride sail, or even a wave sail is suitable as an allround sail in the 5.5 and smaller category. Avoid anything with cambers, and especially race sails!
Focus on increasing your skills!

Prodan

10th September 2010, 04:24 AM

Ok, so it's basically the same: kode, isonic or futura. let's just rule out the futura for a minute and think about kode vs. isonic: the i sonic is the pure slalom/racing board, so it's the fastest and turns easily.
the kode is also really fast and accellerates quickly (or so i've read). it's also highly manouverable, probabally more so than the isonic since it's a wave board and a freestyle one so it needs quick carving power... and it's better with chop (tho here it's normally reasonabally level). as PG said, the kode should be good at racing, tho maybe more durable than the isonic. i've found 2 good sails, both light and without cams (around 3.5kg) : the naish force 5.0 (an extreemly durably wave board) which would be really tough (check it out) and the NP Hellcat 5.2 which is actually freeride. like PG suggested, and aparrently very fast . i think in the end the choice between boards will be what's availlable :)

Two comments: The Kode is MUCH more durable than the iSonic (which is more like an egg shell). And more important than sail weight is actually mast weight (i.e. high percentage of carbon), and a mast that actually matches the sail with regards to bend curve (flex top, average, stiff top) rather than stiffness (which is measured in MCS and IMCS).

Prodan

10th September 2010, 11:29 PM

first, i SAID the kode is more durable. here @ the windsurfing club i mentionned b4 almost everyone has an isonic (mostly 122's) so that's why i'm thinking a lot bout isonics. i admit, they RACE but still, the conditions should also suit the isonic. the mast bit, i aslo know, tho i haven't been checking masts. btw how much does a ,say 60% carbon mast cost? approximately for a 370? and should i get a wave sail if i get a kode or freeride/slalom/race? idk

Farlo

12th September 2010, 05:15 PM

Nothing against the Kode, but after discussing with a few friends I tend to agree with poster #6. The Hawk seems to be the most versatile board of the moment. Very fast and incredibly easy in chops. Moreover its powerbox will give you a lot more fin possibilities than the Kode (or iSonic).

Prodan

15th September 2010, 04:34 AM

I don't care that much about fins (or know a lot about them)... how much will a 2009/10 kode cost next summer? how much do they cost now?

Farlo

16th September 2010, 08:31 PM

You won't find easily good racing fins for the small Kode because or the US box. This been said, you may find freeride fins that will do the job. I mention the Hawk 100 because a few friends use it for recreational racing, freeride and freestyle. It is far from ridiculous with race settings. But Kode is certainly not a bad board either...

Prodan

16th September 2010, 11:40 PM

freeride should do just fine :) how big do the fins need 2 be anyways, compared 2 the wind??